PM Modi Says Surname Doesn’t Matter in India, Will Provide Right Business Environment For Startups

New Delhi: PM Modi on Wednesday said that in today’s India, one’s surname doesn’t matter – what matters is hard work. He said this in reference to Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal’s off-the-cuff remarks on his father not expecting him to do well as a startup entrepreneur, particularly because they did not come from a well-established family.

“In today’s India, one’s surname doesn’t matter. What matters is hard work. Your journey is truly inspiring, Deepinder Goyal! It motivates countless youngsters to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. We are committed to providing the right environment for the startups to flourish,” PM Modi wrote on X, sharing a video clip posted by Union Minister Hardeep Puri.

In the video clip, Zomato’s Deepinder Goyal could be heard saying when he started Zomato in 2008, his father used to say at that time that “tu janta hai tera baap kaun hai”. He added that his father thought he would never be able to pull off a start-up given their “humble background”.

“I come from a small town in Punjab. But over the last 16 years, I think a lot has changed, especially over the past 7-10 years,” he said while praising the central government initiatives.

On Monday evening, Union Minister and BJP leader Hardeep Singh Puri hosted a ‘Vishesh Sampark Abhiyan’ event at his Delhi residence, where various business captains came and shared their experiences.

The event brought together leading IT professionals, innovators, startup leaders, and intellectuals to discuss the country’s digital transformation and future potential under Modi.

Sunil Vachhani, Chairman, of Dixon Technologies, at the event, shared how his company a decade ago used to import almost 100 per cent of its mobile phones and electronics and how it is now making almost all of them here. With the policies of the current government, he said they will very soon export mobile phones worth USD 100 billion.

To Vachhani’s experience, PM Modi said on X, “I completely agree with you on this. The transformation in India’s mobile phone and electronics industry is truly remarkable. It is a testament to India’s potential and the proactive steps taken in the last few years to realise it.”

Nitin Jain, Founder, Ofbusiness, praising the central government said, it has set up a large space to play and perform. “Every SME, every contractor and every small business is benefiting from the Digital India programme of PM Modi.”

Rohan Verma, CEO, of Map My India, noted at the event that the government has unlocked the tremendous opportunity in space and geospatial over the last 4 years.